Spiced Apple Cider and Butternut Squash Snickerdoodles

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I'm not going to write a post about how things change with the seasons. It's been done too many times (we get it Ben Gibbard, you're sad). Instead, just enjoy these fun and easy seasonal recipes. If you don't enjoy them, you probably read the recipes wrong. These recipes are like hugs while wearing your favorite sweater... or that warm feeling could just be glucose rushing to your brain.

Spiced Apple Cider

• 1 quart Apple Juice/Cider 
• 2 Cinnamon Stick
• 5 Whole Cloves
• 1/3 cup Dark Spiced Rum (Kraken of kourse)
• 1 Fuji Apple sliced
• 1 1 in. Orange zest

1. Heat everything in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat until the liquid comes to a simmer and your entire house smells like autumn. 
2. Serve in fancy mugs or mason jars and garnish with an apple slice. Then drink to keep the cold weather at bay.

Butternut Squash Snickerdoodles

• 2 3/4 cup A.P. Flour
• 2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 1/4 cup Shortening
• 1 3/4 cup Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon ground
• 1 teaspoon Baking soda
• 1/3 cup Butternut Squash as prepared in this recipe 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Mix the sugar (1 1/2 cups of sugar), eggs, butter, vanilla, shortening and butternut together in a large mixing bowl. Mix with one of those new fangled electronicized mixers until the consistency of the mixture is that of canned icing.
3. In a separate bowl sift the salt, baking soda, flour, and cream of tartar together, (if you don't have an extra mixing bowl you can use the hollowed out skull of your enemies). Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. 
4. In a small bowl mix the rest of the sugar and cinnamon together.
5. Using a kitchen scooper make small dough balls and roll them in the cinnamon sugar. Place the balls on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and place directly in your mouth. 

Uhh, in conclusion enjoy everything fall has to offer and watch out for cloves in your cider! Enjoy!

All photos taken by Katy Weaver. Check out her site!